


Synthesis

by Yotsubadancesintherain5



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Corrupted Gems, Gen, Short One Shot, Urban Legends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 08:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9991211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yotsubadancesintherain5/pseuds/Yotsubadancesintherain5
Summary: The teenagers consider it a rite of passage to touch the old, broken down train rails.





	

In a rural town there were train tracks. These tracks were on the outskirts of town, and it used to be a mode of transport for goods that went to the city. The railroad had troubles from the time of laying down the tracks, for there was a rumor of something lurking in the woods. It would tear up the tracks and destroy the cargo in the night. Nobody had caught a good glimpse of it, so there were snippets of what the perpetrator looked like. 

However, there was a period where the monster had done nothing for a good amount of time. The locals thought that perhaps the perpetrator had been a restless spirit that finally passed on, and so the construction of the railroad was complete.

For a time, there were no problems with the transports. 

It started again when the workers found cargo broken open and spilled onto the ground. A conductor went missing, as if he was spirited away by the fair folk for there was no evidence that he had been murdered or kidnapped. 

The railroad was shut down when a section of the tracks was destroyed, causing the train to skid off the rails. There were no survivors in the tragic accident.

The rural town became afraid of the tracks. They said that the monster was still out there, a story that was stitched together messily. Some said that it had spider-like legs, bits of broken stone for a mouth. Others said that the monster would prey on anybody who went too close to the tracks, and would screech like a train falling off the rails.

The teenagers would consider touching the tracks at midnight a rite of passage. They would sneak out of their houses, quietly laughing and drinking swiped beer. They would wait in a line away from the tracks, and goad each other to go touch the rails. 

Sometimes, there would be a low screech that would make them hesitate. They would laugh nervously and ask who was messing with them. When there would be no reply, one would see something out of the corner of their eye, something that glinted in the moonlight. When they would turn, they would see something skitter away.

There would be screams, and the teenagers would race up to the tracks, brush their fingers against it and run faster than they have ever done so in their life.

And still the monster would watch.

**Author's Note:**

> I love urban legends. Though when I was a kid, I was scared pretty badly by Bloody Mary and Kuchisake-onna (the slit mouthed woman).


End file.
